Hidden
by TheWebbedKeyboard
Summary: Peter Parker: Hides everything in order to protect the ones he loves. Tony Stark: Hides everything in order to protect the ones he loves. The Problem? Peter is supposed to be better.


Simple fluff, please enjoy! ~ ^-^

* * *

Time couldn't pass any more slowly as Peter sat on the last few steps leading up to Midtown High School, his foot anxiously tapping away as he waited for his ride.

Sure enough, five minutes into his panic a pricey Audi SUV pulled up directly to the curb, a highly tinted window began to roll down reveling a less than interested Happy Hogan. "Come on Kid! We're running late as it is."

"Yes sir!" Without any second comment Peter shuffled up and hurried to get into the back of the SUV. The rest of the ride went smoothly as Happy grumbled about his many responsibilities to Pepper and how he didn't have time to 'be Tony's errand boy'.

Peter simply smiled and talked about his mundane day, knowing that Happy enjoyed picking him up more than the man would admit.

"Finally, here, he should be in the workshop, I'll see you around kid. Gatta go back to report to Pepper."

Peter waved kindly as Happy speed away, heaving a breath he continued inside. Sure enough Tony was right were Happy said he would be, AC/DC blasted throughout the workshop. Tony bobbed his head as he picked up the nearest wrench, completely unaware of the approaching spiderling as the teen swiftly opened the door. The music immediately stopped as FRIDAYs voice boomed to the volume the music had been, "welcome Peter."

Tony jumped at the abrupt sound change and whirled around to face the teen. "Kid you scared the shit out of me! Now come here and help me finish up this molecular charger- you owe me at this point."

Peter laughed nervously and apologized profusely as he set down his bookbag and quickly helped Tony tweak the piece of advanced technology. Once finally done Tony chuckled, "now the real fun. FRIDAY bring up the suit."

Peter looked in awe at the iconic red, blue and gold suit that Tony had fixed up from the last fight, "I figured today we could write some codes and do some more adjusting to the protocols and stealth mode. How about it, kid?"

"Sounds awesome!" Peter beamed. This was all such a dream come true, he was generally always on edge but this was a different kind of anxiety. This was a nervous excitement that promised only progress in the end.

Tony and Peter got to work immediately, only pausing the music when it was absolutely necessary. Finally, after four hours of tweaking and fixing, the suit was in peak condition.

"To be frank kid- this is one of the best suits I've ever made. Probably because I had another person help me- you've had some good ideas for this suit."

Peters heart skipped a beat at the rare praise Stark gave, "n-no! It's all you Mr. Stark! It's truly amazing, thank you so much!"

"Flattery will get you everywhere kid- let's call it a day, how about some shawarma, huh? Sound good? Good. Let's go-"

Peter cleared his throat anxiously, he hadn't been on a patrol in a while considering he was grounded until his suit had been fixed- it had almost been a week since tearing up the suit on a particularly rough patrol. "I was thinking…"

"Here we go." Stark wore an expression that resembled that of pain as Peter continued.

"I was kind of hoping I could get a test run in with the suit… just to make sure everything is running at full speed! Might as well do that now rather than wait till I'm farther away, right? Its only 8, I can be back by 9:30 and we could still have time for a movie and food!"

"…9:00- AND you stay within a 50-mile radius, no crazy trips or anything, alright?"

"Of course, Mr. Stark! Thank you!"

Tony rolled his eyes and smirked, the kid had already had the suit half way on at this point. "This counts as your time so you better get going."

"Right!"

Out the window the kid went, sticking to the side of the tall building and making his way up and over to the other massive sky scrapers. As Tony watched the kid swing away, his heart fluttered with a slight protective fear as the kid flipped from building to building, his silhouette fading with the city lights. He sighed, "guess I can get everything ready." He then called the nearest shawarma shop- Elat Burger, then set up the movie system complete with a Star Wars movie that he could actually stand for Peters sake.

It wasn't until the shawarma arrived that Stark looked at his watch only to realize the kid was 15 minutes late. An unsettled feeling washed over him as he called the suit, he jumped when he heard a ring sound from the workshop and bolted towards it. He slowed as he got to the door and saw Peter happily taking the suit off, his nose was bleeding a bit but other than that he looked fine.

"How did you manage to get hurt in an hour?" Tony chuckled at Peters exasperated face.

"This is New York City! I- There is crime on almost every corner. Besides! I put extra webbing on the guy who did this to my nose- he'll be spending the night on the dingy street while the cops try to chip at the webbing." A happy grin fell on Peters face as he bragged about the extra webbing, Tony's heart swelled with pride because he himself would have likely decked the guy in the face if that had been him. Peter was just too innocent for his own good.

"Well let's eat and watch this movie! I picked a Star Wars movie- your welcome- and.."

That's when he caught it, the slight wince as Peter bent down, the way he slightly swayed and had a slight slur to his words. As he took the rest of the suit off revealing his normal clothing, Tony asked already knowing the answer, "You didn't get hurt any more than your nose, right?"

"Oh! No Mr. Stark, I'm fine!"

"…right. Ok- hey! Is this- Is this a scratch on the eye lens of your suit?! How did you even- huh. Here, put the suit back on for a second so we can at least calibrate the brand-new lens I have to replace it with."

Peter paled as he scrambled to put the multimillion-dollar suit back on, "I-I didn't think I got it damaged! I'm so sorry I-"

Without missing a beat Tony started, "KAREN run full diagnostics."

Peter froze as KARENs voice seemed to blare, "partially broken nose, three broken ribs that require immediate attention as they are protruding towards the right lung which is partially deflating currently, also multiple broken fingers and moderate/severe concussion."

Peter couldn't lift his head as Tony stared at him unbelievably, "hospital wing, now. FRIDAY, call Bruce and tell him to report to the north wing quickly. I hope you are prepared for the lecture of a lifetime Peter. How could you? All you have to do is be honest but even now- kid? Hey."

Peter stared down at the floor in a daze as he tried to shrug the suit off of him, everything was strange, a weird sense of hot and cold washed over his senses as blackness ate at the edges of his vision. "Mr. Stark? What-" A pair of cold hands caught him by the shoulders as he swan dived towards the floor.

"Hey, alright, stay with me kid. FRIDAY code blue, all medical staff report to the workshop ASAP."

Peter shook a bit, both from his worsening pain and the way Tony's scared voice echoed desperately through the workshop.

Worried brown eyes were all Peter saw as his vision finally gave out, the next time he woke he felt a slight pinch in his arm. Stiff blankets caused unwanted friction on his bandaged hands and newly bandaged torso as he tried to shrug them off. His nose itched as a firm set of hands held Peter in place in his attempts to sit up.

"Wow there kid, you still have a tube in your chest, might not want to move."

"A…tube?"

Another voice joined Tony's as Peter woke a bit more, "Pneumothorax, collapsed lung, we are currently getting the unneeded air pressure so your lung can deflate correctly, we can remove the tube once you wake a bit more. You still have a moderate concussion, although its improved quite well within the past two days-"

"T-two days?!"

Bruce shrugged, "you were in bad shape, your body needed the rest, I'll leave you to the lecture now- I'll be back in about an hour to remove the tubing. Oh- and your nose should be all healed up as well as your hand, ill check on them when I come back as well.

Tony nodded at Bruce as he left, his eyes narrowed on Peter as the teen shrank in his uncomfortable hospital sheets.

"If it weren't obvious you are grounded for two weeks."

"I was going to tell you-"

"Bull shit! You lied right to my face!"

"I would have healed just fine within the hour…"

"Seriously? Because I don't think your healing powers have done much for you in the past few days, we ran full tests on you and it looks like you haven't been eating properly, sleeping or really anything! Care to explain?"

Peter winced and looked down, "I…don't know…"

Tony sighed and ran a tired hand over his face, "Kid, there is nothing bold or brave about putting on this little act of yours. Why do you feel the need to act like everything is ok all of the time!?"

Tony thought about that question as soon as he said it, it reverberated through his entire being as his eyes threatened moisture. "You know what? Don't answer that…" He rested his face in his hands as he heaved a sigh and sat in a chair directly beside Peters hospital bed. "You are really just like me- that has got to change. I said be better, remember?"

Peter blushed and looked down, secretly swelling with pride. Mr. Stark had just said they were the same! How cool!

Tony's thoughts however did not match Peters as his heart was heavy with worry. "You have to understand that bearing burdens breaks your back kid. The longer you put up the tough guy act, the more at risk you put yourself and everyone around you. I know hiding everything seems like the right thing to do, like your protecting everyone. But in the end, it really only hurts. I'm still learning that lesson myself. You got to understand that asking for help, being honest, that takes a lot more guts and valor than just hiding it."

"Y-yea…Sorry Mr. Stark…"

There was a heavy silence.

"Y…you really think we are alike?"

Tony rolled his eyes and smiled, "Too much alike."

Peter beamed.

"Psh, alright, stay put and for the love of God, don't move. I really took up for you, you know! Your aunt was pissed when I told her you got hurt! She will be up tomorrow so I figured I'd get us take out delivered and enjoy the night before hell breaks loose tomorrow."

Peter paled at that, tomorrow was going to be a long day. But as Tony put in the same Star Wars movie they were supposed to watch, he couldn't help but smile and enjoy the night ahead.


End file.
